Weld testing ??

[Coo]

I plan on doing modifications to an astra van that I have.
Namely suicide doors and a roof chop.

Now I will worry about the quality of my work, and think that any mot station may have similar worries....

So please tell me / advise me about testing ???

Can it be done and certified without destruction ?
Does this actually have to be done ??


Any help/ideas much appreciated

 

[pedrobedro]

Practise on something similar thickness till you are confident in it. As long as the roof holds on and the doors latch any MOT station can do nothing more than visually inspect them.

 

[the snooper]

also if you have to butt any edges together try to put a reinforcing strip behind the joint so not only are the two edges welded together but also to the strip behind them it will also stop the welder from blowing holes in the joints making it a much stronger joint

 

[hotrodder]

Search the forum/google for 'destructive weld testing', 'nick break' and 'weld bend test' and then practice as Pedro said. If you're not confidant in your welds then i'd have to say that a roof chop is a bit too ambitious imo

Roof chops are BIG, complicated jobs and ending up with something that works asthetically (no weird body lines etc) is even harder- do you lay the glass back to compensate for the roof that's now too small (body tapers at the sides etc), section the roof and fill the gaps or reskin the entire thing? Glass is a key issue, laminated screen can be cut (be prepared to pay for a few broken ones though) but toughened side/rear glass can't. Cut the car to suit the glass

 

[Coo]

Cheers guys,

Ii will look into the terms....I know when I get round to it, it will be good enough for me, life's too short to muck it up.

As for MOT just visually inspecting, then I may leave it unpainted to make sure.

As for the chop, glass is (was) the major issue, but now the technology is there to trim laminated windscreens in the form of water jetting.....although I've not confirmed this with a company yet !

Yes good idea to get the glass cut first, and I will be just patching rather than re-skinning , then covering with vinyl.

 

[hotrodder]

Last chop i helped with the guy tried getting the screen watercut, cracked in 2 places. That was an old yank so much more curvature than modern cars and (i'm guessing) much higher residual stresses in the glass due to age/curvature. Was a LOT of work to result in a cracked screen- had to make a frame to support the glass and then there's the issue of 'tracking' the screens curvature with the waterjet. Is the rear screen not toughened?

 

[Coo]

Not sure about the rear screen probably is, although it would be easier to maybe source a smaller rear from another car.

I'll be doing the suicide doors first though.....probably nor get round to the roof until next year (realisticly)

 

[mr cheese]

Last chop i helped with the guy tried getting the screen watercut, cracked in 2 places. That was an old yank so much more curvature than modern cars and (i'm guessing) much higher residual stresses in the glass due to age/curvature. Was a LOT of work to result in a cracked screen- had to make a frame to support the glass and then there's the issue of 'tracking' the screens curvature with the waterjet. Is the rear screen not toughened?

I know you can use fibreglass windows on the side and the back but not sure about windscreen at least thats only one to worry about then lol

 

[Bigjoe]

Ive cut laminated windscreens by hand in the past, but its always at the owners risk

Drop me a pm if i can be of any help Coo

 

[Coo]

cheers guys

 

[mr cheese]

cheers guys

Also I have a bobtailed range rover and you only need an sva test if you alter the axle wheelbase as I work with vosa and asked them